Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 139
On Wednesday the v. of Februarie, 1556. The Cxxxix. Sermon, which is the fourth vponupon the foure & twentith Chapter.
10 When thou lendest any thing vntounto thy neighbour, thou shalt not enter into his house to take his pledge.
11 But thou shalt abide without, and the man which borroweth of thee, shall bring the pledge out of the doores vntounto thee.
12 And if the man be poore, thou shalt not sleepe with his pledge:
12 But shalt restore him the pledge when the sunne goeth downe, that he may sleepe in his raiment and blesse thee, and it shalbe righteousnesse vntounto thee before the Lord thy God.
WE must call to minde in this place, the sentence of the Prophet which our Lorde Iesus Christ also alleageth:Ose. 6.7. Matt. 9.13. MercieMercy is more worth than sacrifices. For if we think to pay God by offering him this or that which we hauehave spoyled from our neighbours, he will detest and abhorre both vsus and our offerings also. For why? God will not chaunge his nature according vntounto our lust: and there is nothing more properly belonging vntounto him than kindnesse and goodnesse. For hee indeede is the very fountaine and roote of it. And therefore seeing it is so, must he not either transfigure himselfe, or detest vsus, when hee shall see vsus as cruell as wilde beastes, so as eueryevery of vsus endeuoureth nought else but to deuour the substance and goods of his brother? Yes verelie. For he cannot like of cruelty as long as he abideth like vntounto himselfe. Let vsus therefore diligently note, that except wee be pitifull, except wee hauehave compassion on them which stande in neede of our aide to succour them, except we vse gentlenes and humanity towards our brethren, we can hauehave no accesse vntounto our God, but al the offerings we can present him withall, shal stinke in his sight, and he will refuse them. And that is the cause why the Prophet expresly saith: That merciemercy is better than all the sacrifices in the worlde. True it is indeede that God setteth more by his owne honour than hee doeth by the life of men: as reason good hee shoulde so. But here the case standeth, to know whether we serue God truely or hypocritically. For if I louelove God, doubtlesse I will declare this louelove of mine towards them which beare his ymage: and wee must hauehave recourse vntounto that which sainct Iohn saieth:1. Ioh. 4.… ▪ That if when we dwel with men and liue together with them, wee beare them no louelove, is it not plaine mockerie to protest that wee louelove GOD, whome wee see not? Therfore all such as vaunt themselues, that they louelove God, and yet are so ful of crueltie that they wil spoile poore folkes of whatsoeuer they can possiblie catch from them, without all pitie or compassion; are no better than hypocrites & shamelesse lyers. And so we see the reason of this sentence, and why God, albeit hee priseth his honour highly, hath saide notwithstanding, that he will not esteeme so much of all the sacrifices which men make vntounto him: as he will do of the merciemercy which men shewe one vntounto an other. For indeede our almesdeedes are those sweete smelling sacrifices, which God accepteth:Hebr. 13.… ▪ as the Apostle saieth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes. And heereuppon is that lawe of God which wee hauehave nowe hearde, grounded; where it is saide: That if wee lende monie vntounto a poore man, wee must not goe and ransacke his house to finde out a pledge for our owne liking, but that he must bring that which hee hath. And then we may keepe the pledge without doing of him any wrong. And why so? For God permitteth vsus so to doe: If not, hee will hauehave them to carie backe againe the gage which the poore man brought, as for example: if it be his bed whereon hee sleepeth, or his couerlet, or his coate, or his gowne, so that hee remaineth naked & vnclothed, God wil not hauehave vsus to keepe such a pledge. For when wee hauehave confessed that wee ought in deede to be pitifull, and that wee are farre from beeing of the number of the children of God if we vse no brotherly louelove one towards another: when we hauehave said all this; yet wee know not what the thing meaneth, when we should come vntounto the practise of it. For if any stande in neede of our helpe, wee hauehave forgotten this generall doctrine: Wee are alwayes good diuines to speake in the ayre. If a man set vsus down a doctrine which presseth vsus not, eueryevery man is readie to yeeld his consent thereunto, but the practise thereof sheweth that we bee verie loath to accorde vntounto it. And although wee confesse that God hath wel spoken; yet wee will not put that in practise which is tolde vsus, if it preiudice our gayne and commoditie; and therefore GOD is faine to specifie things vntounto vsus more particularly. When hee hath once declared that there is nothing more acceptable vntounto him, than the pitie which wee hauehave on our neighbours to succour and relieue them, he must point soorth some speciall kindes therof with his finger: and when he hath taught vsus to bee mercifull, hee must shew vsus how and in what maner, & so condemne our crueltie, which we (if it were possible) would excuse. As for example, if this so special a declaration should not be made, the sentence of the Prophet would be receiued without any gainsaying, That merciemercy is better than sacrifices: but none for all that will come to this point, & to this reason, that a man must not take such a pledge of a poore man, as he shall account necessarie for his owne vse. For men will say: Is this any crueltie? He commeth to borrow of mee, and I may deny him if I listed: but if I doe him such a pleasure as to lend him my money: I wil hauehave some assurance for it. And so a mā wil not acknowledge it to be crueltie to take any mans coat or couering to gage. It will be alwayes sayde, Why? I may lawfully doe it. For I lende him my money, and it may bee gaynfull vntounto him: I leaue him the whole profite of it, I desire but to saue my selfe harmlesse, and not to loose the principal. I deceiue him not of a farthing: I take no vsurie for my money, nor any thing at all: and why then should I be condemned? Thus men woulde excuse themselues. But what? God will bee the Iudge of our dealings. Yee see then the cause (as I hauehave told you) why God presseth vsus to a speciall poynt: because the generall doctrine is ouer coldly taken of vsus, and woulde not leade vsus so farre as were requisite. Let vsus therefore beare in minde that which is here declared. First it is sayde: That a man shall not goe and ransacke his neighbours house to take a pledge from thence, when hee woulde lende him a peece of money. Nowe the cause why this is spoken, is not onelyonly (as some hauehave thought) for that it were a putting of poore men to shame, to goe and see howe naked their whole house is: God had no regarde of any such thing: but hee meant rather to brydle the couetous desires of the riche. For wee knowe howe couetous our eyes are to drawe thinges away, and eueryevery man is verye sharpe sighted for his owne profite. If I enter into an house, I will hauehave an eye by and by on all the fayrest thinges: and when I hauehave requested to hauehave this and that corner shewed mee; if I see any thing which liketh mee, I beginne to say: This is good housholde stuffe: yea this will stande mee in steede. I will hauehave it (say I); and the poore man cannot tell what to answere: for hee is at my merciemercy. If hee denie it; O (say I) there is no dealing with you: goe your wayes: it is no pitie to helpe you. And thus a poore man shall bee helde as it were vppon the racke. Yee see then the meaning of this lawe, when our Lorde forbad a man to enter into his neighbours house to ransacke it for a pledge. For why? He which entreth cannot iudge what the poore man, which desireth to bee succoured might best spare: but lucre (as I told you) blindeth vsus; and when wee bee once forepossessed with such desire, wee iudge no longer what is rightfull, because eueryevery of vsus will conclude: O I must aske this. And why? Because it will bee good for mee. Wee see then now the reason of this first part.
But if a man bee at his owne free choyce to bring what pledge hee will, so as hee bee pressed: hee may then withdrawe himselfe aside & beware that hee bee not trodden vnderunder foote, nor pinched beyonde measure: hee may beethinke himselfe what is to bee done, hee may aduise himselfe by his owne counsayle, there is no man to control him, or to disturbe the stuffe of his house: and then a man may take the pledge to assure his money. Nowe because there may bee sometimes such vrgent necessitie, that a man will some time shift him selfe to his shirte to hauehave somewhat to eate: our Lorde prouideth farther in this case to remedie it, and therefore hee commaundeth the pledge to bee restored againe, when a man shall perceiue, that a poore man cannot misse it. For in such a case a man must bee touched with greater compassion, for two causes: the one is, because that when a man putteth himselfe beside his bedding and his clothing, it is easie to iudge and to gather, that hee is come to greate extremitie, and to the farthest degree of pouertie. That is one poynt to bee noted. The other is in considering of this poynt, what difference there is, whether a man dye for hunger or for colde. This is but to change his torment: this is not to succour him.
I lende a man money, and hee buyeth bread therewith to eate, and in the meane time, hee is frosen to death through mee, and doe I releeue him then? So then wee ought in such a case to bee mooued with compassion, or else there is no humanitie in vsus. So then for this cause GOD will hauehave the pledge restored againe, when wee see that the thing wee take is necessarie for the preseruing of a mans life: as is his cote, his doublet, his bedde, his couering, or such like things.
I graunt that according vntounto the rigour of ciuill iustice, this is not obserued: and God also hath not giuen it in this place for a ciuil order: but hee meant to prescribe a rule for eueryevery man to followe of his owne free will. As many things are permitted vsus before men, of which notwithstanding wee shal bee accountable before God, although wee escape the handes of earthly Iudges. There is no man will let mee from vsing the vtmost rigour I can, towardes him which oweth mee any thing: and yet when I see hee is behinde hande with mee, and that there is no guile nor malice in him, if I for all that do cause him to bee cast into prison, if I rid him of al that he hath, if I leaue and forsake him, doubtles I do him wrong in the sight of God. Nowe ciuil iustice can set downe no other order, but that all must be done as I will hauehave it. Yea, but (as it hath beene declared heretofore) when we shal hauehave beene excused before men, it is not to be sayde therefore, that wee shall not bee culpable before God. For the lawe requireth a farre other perfection than earthly and common iustice doeth.
So then let vsus note, that although it was lawfull for the Iewes as touching earthly iustice, to take any gage they listed; yet doeth God condemne it for intollerable crueltie. And if this were in the time of the lawe; how much greater reason is there for the practising of it nowadayes, when wee hauehave more occasion of exercising such humanitie and gentlenes one towards another? For we must returne vntounto this principle & ground, that Gods will is that wee should resemble him, because hee hath adopted vsus for his children, and shewed himselfe to bee our father. God hath in deede alwayes shewed himselfe such a one: but at this day in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ, he hath displayed and shewen foorth the bowels of his merciemercy,Luke. 1.78. as the scripture speaketh: for it cannot sufficiently expresse the infinit bountie and goodnes, which God hath shewed vntounto vsus in our Lorde Iesus Christ. Sith it is so that God hath made vsus to feele more than euer heretofore his inestimable louelove, so much the more ought we to enforce ourselues on our side, to followe him, & to conforme our selues vntounto his example. Therefore if wee be so cruell as to let them dye for want & neede, which desire and seeke after our helpe: or if wee spoyle them of that which they cannot forbeare and liue; there is so much the lesse excuse for vsus, and our sinne is double and farre more haynous nowadayes. And therefore let vsus knowe that God spake not onelyonly vntounto the Iewes for the time of the lawe, but that this rule must abide in full force, vntill the ende of the worlde: and that as this sentence was alleaged by our Lorde Iesus Christ: That merciemercy is better than sacrifice: to shewe that it appertaineth vntounto the Christian Church, so all the kindes of merciemercy which are dependant vppon it, are belonging vntounto vsus: and wee must exercise merciemercy, not according vntounto our owne fancie, but as God sheweth vsus, according to the declaration thereof which wee hauehave in this place. For what else is this lawe which Moses hath here set downe in writing, but an exposition of that sentence which the Prophet hath more generally set downe? Yee see then in effect what we hauehave to beare in minde.
And hereby wee are taught likewise not to ouer greeue such as for their needes doe come to seeke releefe at our handes. EueryEvery man must hauehave an eye vntounto his owne abilitie what hee may doe, and not trample his neighbour beeyonde measure vnderunder foote. The very thing wherein wee ought to holde our selues streight, is that eueryevery of vsus hauing an eye to his owne abilitie, must doe his indeuour to the vttermost without sparing of himselfe. For wee must exact of our selues that which our Lorde hath commaunded vsus, and wee must strayne our selues in that behalf to the vttermost of our power. Wee must succour those whome wee see in necessitie, and not tarrie vntill men constrayne vsus thereunto. For (as I tolde you) God will peraduenture lay the brydle on our necke as touching ciuill order, howbeit that shalbee but to trye our charitie the better. If men restraine vsus from being cruell, and from vsing such outragious libertie as otherwise we woulde vse: it is a signe that wee beare no reuerence vntounto God, and that the seruice which we yeeld vntounto him is not of good will, but of compulsion. But if men let vsus alone, so as wee may doe the woorst wee can, in tormenting and vexing poore needie wretches, and yet wee are lead through a curteous and gentle affection, not onelyonly not to vexe and harme them beyonde al measure, but to deale indifferently with them, and (in fewe wordes) not to deale otherwise with them than wee woulde hauehave others to deale with vsus in the like case: our so dooing and our succouring of them, when no man driues vsus thereunto, is a signe that there is sounde charitie in vsus, and yt in louing God wee do also shew and prooue in deede that wee are his children, and that wee liue in good brotherhood, and mutuall agreement with our neighbours.
Nowe to the intent wee shoulde be the easier led heereunto, Moses alleageth in this place two reasons the better to persuade vsus. First he sayeth: That hee vntounto whome wee shall restore and bring the pledge againe, shall blesse vsus. And secondly hee addeth: That it shalbee righteousnesse vntounto vsus before the Lorde our God. Nowe these two reasons are not superfluous, considering what holdfastes we are, and how eueryevery one wil safely prouide for himselfe. We think that the whole earth will fayle vsus; and when wee lende, it is with an heauie heart: when the money is once scaped out of our handes, wee thinke our selues so much impayred, and wee fetch deepe sighes for it. God therefore seeing men so giuen vntounto their owne lucre, and that they hauehave no freehearted liberalitie, or at least wise are not so much enclyned vntounto it as were requisite, vseth first a perswasion and sayeth: That the poore shall blesse vsus, that is to say, hee shall pray for vsus.
Nowe I knowe, that the wealthie, and these greate deuowrers, and these seagulfes which seeke nought else but to swallowe vp all, will make none account of this blessing. Tushe (say they) he is but a poore beggarly knaue, and what care I whether he pray for mee or no. See I pray you what these despisers of God, & these heathenish folke say. But let vsus note wel, that it is not without cause that God declareth in this place, that it is a singular benefit to hauehave a poore man pray for vsus. For if a poore man crye (as it is sayde) hee shalbee hearde.…. …2.27 Hee needeth neither man of lawe, nor Proctour to handle his cause before God with any great Rhetorike. If a poore man bee vniustly borne downe by mee, and I hauehave wrought him any oppression or violence, or hauehave spoyled him of that which was his, or if I hauehave greeued and troubled him in any sorte, although hee vtter not a woorde, but onelyonly sigheth to himselfe: yet may not I thinke that I shall escape the hande of GOD. There shall neede neither witnesses nor writings, nor great inquest to cast mee; for one alonely sigh of the poore man, shall kindle such a fire of Gods vengeance vppon mee, as shall neuer bee quenched. For the complayninges which the poore make against them which hauehave molested them, are heard of God; they pearce thorough the clowdes, and come into heauen.
Also on the contrarie side when a poore man hauing receiued releefe of any man, shall say: Blessed bee hee which tooke pitie on mee. This woorde is as if an Angell of heauen had made suite for him. Nowe seeing God sayeth it is so, let vsus not thinke that it is in vayne, or by way of mockerie. And therefore let vsus learne to esteeme more than wee are wont to doe, of the prayers which the poore make that are relieued and succoured by vsus. For although we beare our selues in hand that they are nothing, yet hath God declared of what force they are, & commendeth them vntounto vsus in this place for a singular thing.
Nowe this ought to teache vsus, not to despise the poore, nor to disdayne to heare them, or to giuegive them a good looke: for God sayeth that hee heareth them, and that they are such as hauehave readiest accesse vntounto him. They are heard both in their complaintes and in their prayers and petitions. For God doeth more for them by an hundredth part than wee which are but wormes of the earth, will vouchsafe to doe. The thing then which wee hauehave to beare in mynde is, that if a poore man come and desire helpe of vsus, and wee thinke wee shall but loose that which we bestowe vppon him, because hee is not of abilitie to recompence vsus, & that although hee should liue an hundred yeres after his death, yet he should not requite vsus the good turne and pleasure hee receiued of vsus. We ought to bethinke our selues thus: Well: in deede as touching the worlde he cannot benefite mee, he can neither coole me nor heat me: but before God such a blessing as proceedeth from him, shalbee heard. If wee consider this: is not the recompence which wee shal hauehave in the kingdome, better than all that which might be bestowed vppon vsus in this frayle and transitory life? Yes verily, if wee hauehave any faith; if we hauehave any assurance of the heauenly life, and are not altogither beastly besotted with this present worlde.
And although a poore man become vnthankfull, yet shall not wee therefore faile to be blessed of God. For the heate which hee shall hauehave receiued by vsus, when wee hauehave giuen him his coate or his couering, shall blesse vsus. And if hee bee so wicked as to forget it, as many are, with whome it is growen as it were vntounto a common custome, that when they are releeued they will not vouchsafe to acknowledge the good which is done vntounto them: but rather there is nowadayes such pride in some of them that they wil thinke a man is the more bounde vntounto them for that hee hath done them all the pleasure in the worlde; insomuch that some will say, what hath he done vntounto mee, but hee was bounde to doe more? And what is this in respect of all that which hee oweth mee? Such is the vnthankfulnesse which yee shall see some poore folke to vse. But, as I hauehave sayde; although they bee dumbe and speake not a worde: yet the good turne which wee hauehave done them shall serue vsus for a blessing before God. As on the contrarie side men are wont to saye: When a man shall holde his peace and suffer him selfe to pyne away in his miserie, and yet men will not vouchsafe to take pitie on him, let him remaine quiet and patient in his aduersitie as long as he will. (Though I say such exāples are wondrous rare: for wee shall heare nothing but complaints and murmuringes although there bee no greate cause why.) But let vsus graunt that some man were so quyet, that hee will not vtter one word, though hee bee not releeued at his neede: Shall wee for all that bee quit before God, although there bee no crye made against vsus, to endite vsus? No, no: for wee see what is sayde concerning Abel.Gen. 4.10. After hee was murdered, did hee crye for vengeance at Gods handes? No, but his bloude cryed. And therefore the necessitie which a poore man endureth, cryeth lowde & shrill ynough in Gods eares, so that hee needeth not to make any complaynt and to saye: one hath greeued mee in this or in that sorte: but if hee dye for colde because wee keepe his coate or his couering from him, there shall neede no other thing to condemne vsus before God. So then let vsus learne, that albeit the poore discharge their duetie verie ill, and that beeing succoured they blesse vsus not; wee may not therefore ceasse to doe that which GOD commaundeth vsus, knowing that the almes which proceedeth from vsus, shall serue vsus well ynough for a blessing, although they whome wee hauehave relieued holde their peace. As on the contrary side, wee must bee afrayde least the crueltie which wee vse may accuse vsus before GOD, although no man doe open his mouth to speake.
There is also in this place an instruction for the poore: that because God hath made them subiect to that state that they must be fayne to desire succour and helpe of their neighboures, they must bee so much the more humble, & lay aside the arrogancie and presumption which is in many of them. Some when they aske an almes, thinke they require nothing but their own: insomuch that to their seeming they hauehave wrong if they bee made to wayte for it, and that men preuent not their necessitie: they woulde that a man shoulde put off his cappe and desire them to receiue an almes: there are some which bee full of this presumption. But God contrarily declareth, that hee wil hauehave him which receiueth a good turne, to acknowledge it, and to blesse him by whome hee is releeued. And in verie deede, if a man bee holpen in his neede, and hee forget it, and seeketh not at leastwise to God to requite it, when himselfe according to the worlde hath no meanes to do it, hee is a theefe: and pretende hee neuer so fairely, that a man gaue him such a thing: yet because hee abuseth the liberalitie which was vsed towardes him▪ hee is a theefe. A man helpeth mee, and on what condition? God bindeth mee to pray for the prosperitie of him which hath in such wise succoured mee, and to protest at least, that I am bounde vntounto him: and when I am able to recompence him I must do it. But if I cannot, I must hauehave God for my witnes, that I acknowledge my selfe bound vntounto him for his curtesie: if I doe it not, verily it is theft, as I told you. So then as the rich are taught in this place, and as God sheweth them that they ought to be contented when they whome they hauehave holpen do blesse them: so on the other side, the poore are taught to knowe, that if they borrowe, or hauehave any thing giuen them, it is to the intent they shoulde bee moued to pray for their neighbors, for so much as they hauehave succoured and releeued them, that charitie may by that meanes bee maintained. For the true bond thereof is, that they which hauehave of themselues no abilitie shold knowe that God calleth them vntounto himselfe, & that they ought to doe that which belongeth to them to doe, namely, resort vntounto prayer, because they are able to doe no other thing. Yee see them in effect what wee hauehave to beare in minde. And so let vsus note that when we can discharge our dueties towardes our neighbours no otherwise, wee must hauehave recourse vntounto that remedie which is set downe here, that is, to prayer.
It followeth afterwarde: that it shalbee reputed vntounto vsus for righteousnesse before God, & this is according vntounto that which I hauehave to note alreadie, namely, that merciemercy is better than sacrifice. For Moses meant to declare that if wee vse not such humanitie towards our neighbors, wee may well beare a countenaunce of seruing God, wee may hauehave great appearance of vertue in the sight of men, wee may well bee honoured and esteemed of them: but yet neuerthelesse God will condemne vsus for wicked men, when wee bee so cruell. Briefely Moses hath in this place declared, that there is no righteousnesse acceptable before God, except there bee such humanitie in vsus, that wee liue so with our neighbours as eueryevery of vsus enforce himselfe to succour the poore and needie to the vtmost of his power. Yee see then the intent and meaning of Moses when hee sayeth, That it shalbee reputed vntounto vsus for righteousnes before God. And this is a worde which ought well to bee weyed. For wee see howe men thinke to discharge their duties notwithstanding that they bee set altogither on pilling and spoyling. And in what order trowe yee? Looke mee among the Papists: if a man hauehave erected a chappell, if hee hauehave taken order that so many Masses shalbee sung, or if hee hauehave done some such like thinges; then hath hee his hands cleane; or at leastwise thinketh them to bee cleane: and yet in the meane while, extortion, deceite, and other lewde and wicked practises hauehave their full sway with him, and no pitie hath any place in his heart. Nowe, the man which shall shewe such a faire apparance shalbee accounted a iust and holy person. But yee see howe God in the meane while pronounceth the cleane contrarie, that all this is but doung and filthinesse in his sight, and that there is no righteousnesse where there is no humanitie and gentlenes. When a man hath no compassion on his neighbors, when he tormenteth them, when hee troubleth them, when he spoyleth them, when hee hath no pitie nor merciemercy with him, whatsoeuer hee is able to doe besides, is but abhominable before God: hee reiecteth all besides, and will none of it, except a man be so kindhearted as to take pitie of them which are in neede, and to releeue their necessitie. Beholde (I say) in what sort wee ought to fare the better by this place. For (as I hauehave said) men woulde alwayes thinke to discharge their duties towardes God and yet giuegive no almes.
Wee see also as touching almes giuing, that there is in many men much hypocrisie and no little rashnes: in so much that men neuer deale vprightly with God in that behalfe. What is the cause why our Lorde Iesus Christ forbiddeth men to blowe the trumpet,Matt. 6.2. and to make such greate and open shewes when they giuegive their almes, but because many are ledde with ambition, and when they deale their doale, there must bee a greate pompe of it at their gate? Such as hauehave pilled and polled all their life long, and hauehave done nothing else but eaten and deuowred the poore, thinke to burie their sinnes and to wipe them cleane out, by bestowing a piece of money at their deceasse. For why? They bleare the eyes of men thereby: and they beare themselues in hande that they are able to deceiue God too. But they abuse them selues too grossely. So then it standeth vsus in hande the more diligently to note this sentence, wherein wee are taught, that if without all vanitie of shewe, wee hauehave pittie on them which seeke for refuge at our handes, & & helpe them without grieuing them at all: it shalbee reckoned vntounto vsus for righteousnesse. And before whome? Before the Lorde our God. We are in this place sūmoned before ye heauenly throne, to ye intent yt we seeke not for our reward before men. For yt also is an other thing whereunto our Lord Iesus leadeth vsus when he saith that we must not blowe with the trumpet when we giuegive our almes; but that wee must rather hide our selues,…. 6.3. and not let our lefthand knowe what our right hand doeth; nor be desirous of many witnesses by whom wee may vaunt our selues: And in verie deede if it suffice vsus not that God liketh of vsus, and that hee accepteth the seruice which wee doe vntounto him in bestowing of our almes, we seeke for our payment here below: and therfore we are then recompenced when men praise vsus and say: O this man is a great giuer of almes: O he dischargeth his dutie faithfully in this behalfe. If we hauehave once gotten such a report, & that the same do please vsus, verily wee hauehave our rewarde. Let vsus not thinke that God will set it any more in his booke of account: for so should wee bee twise payed; I say if wee seeke through ambition to bee seene of all men. For although when wee giuegive our almes, wee may sometimes make it knowen: yet neuerthelesse wee must take heede that wee be not ledde away with a vayne desire, to bee esteemed of in this worlde: but whatsoeuer wee giuegive, let vsus conueie it as it were into the bosome of God. And forasmuch as the good which wee hauehave done, shalbe receiued and esteemed of him: let vsus seeke no other thing but that eueryevery one bee edified thereby, & that euere one for his parte enforce himselfe to relieue the necessitie of his neighbours. But howe euer the worlde go, seeing it is God vntounto whome wee ought to lende the almes which we bestowe vppon a poore man, and that he receiueth it; this consideration ought so to rauish vsus, that wee shoulde not desire to leane vntounto the worlde, nor to any of the faire praises which we may receiue, nor to the reputation which wee may get by it. God sayeth, that when wee giuegive vntounto a poore man,…. ….17. wee lende vntounto him himself. Beholde heere a manner of speach which might seeme strange at the first sight, to say, that wee lende vntounto God. But yet neuerthelesse he vseth this manner of speache, and that not without cause, and sayeth that hee is well able to pay vsus vsurie and gaine for our money, so as wee neede not feare that wee shall loose any thing by our long tarriance for it, for hee wil recompence vsus to the vtmost. Seeing that God hath once declared that hee becommeth detter vntounto vsus, and that hee putteth all those Items into his bookes of accounts, as though hee had borrowed them at our handes: I pray you are not wee ouer-blockish if wee for all that seeke for prayse here belowe and hang wholly vppon it? Nowe therefore let vsus learne to fare the better by that which is sayde here: namely, That it shalbe accounted for righteousnesse vntounto vsus before God. It is in effect all one as if Moses had sayde: Deceiue not your selues by thinking to please God after the common order and fashion of men, who make many faire shewes of diuers things: they will needes offer sacrifices, they will come vntounto the temple, they will set a good countenance on all things, yea, they will make men beleeue that they hauehave all the vertues in the worlde, & that nothing is wanting in them: but you are deceiued if that you thinke to discharge your duetie towardes God by such meanes. For there is no righteousnesse in you which pleaseth God, and which hee liketh of, except you bee so gentle and kinde hearted as to hauehave pitie on the poore, and to releeue them in their neede: that is to bee noted for one poynt. Againe, for the other hee sayeth thus: Go to, you are of opinion that all is lost which you giuegive vntounto a poore man; and that because hee hath not wherewith to recompence you, or because hee is vnthankfull, as wee see many are. But holde your selues contented with this, that before God it shalbee accounted vntounto you for righteousnesse: feare you not seeing that God accepteth that which you offer vntounto him. Ceasse to regarde men. This ought to suffice you: Yea, put the case that one render vntounto you euil for the good which ye hauehave done, yet notwithstanding your God will not reiect your prayers and requestes; but will acknowledge that wherein you hauehave serued him. And because hee maketh a tryall of your charitie by this meanes, and will knowe howe you louelove him by your helping of those which hee offereth vntounto you in his owne name: if you receiue them which flye vntounto you for succour: Let it suffice you that God accepteth both of you and of that which you hauehave bestowed on him which sought vntounto you. That is in effect the thing which wee hauehave to beare in minde in this place.
But here a man may demaund a question, & aske what it meaneth that Moses sayeth a mans almes shalbee accounted vntounto him for righteousnes? for it seemeth therefore that our selues obtayne righteousnesse before God, and that we deserue rewarde by our good workes. And this were against the chiefe and principall article of our saluation, where it is sayde, That wee are iustified by faith. And what else importeth this worde Faith, but that wee are accepted of God for his owne mercies sake, without bringing any merite or desert of our owne? If wee bee iustified by fayth, why doeth Moses say that wee are iustified by our woorkes, as by our almes deedes? Let vsus note that when the scriptue speaketh in this wise, it presupposeth that God hath alreadie receiued vsus so to merciemercy, that hee pardoneth vsus all our sinnes: yea, and that albeit there bee some imperfection in our workes, hee regardeth it not, but accepteth that which wee offer vntounto him, as though it were worthie to bee accepted. But for asmuch as this matter cannot bee handled at large as nowe: therefore let vsus note, that where as it is sayde that faith was reckoned vntounto Abraham for righteousnesse: it is to giuegive vsus to vnderstande, that men when they come before God, are all of them to bee condemned: yea, the most perfectest of them. For if a man will seeke for vertue and holinesse in the worlde, it may bee founde in the person of Abraham: for hee is as excellent a man as euer was: but yet if GOD woulde hauehave iudged him with rigour, he might hauehave condemned him with all the rest. For what is there in Abraham to make God to bee beholding vntounto him? So then wee are all confounded in our selues. And therefore there is no other remedie left vsus, but to beleeue in the free promises which hee hath made vntounto vsus, embracing his merciemercy and fatherly louelove, & hanging thereon the assurance of our saluation. The cause (say I) why we are iustified by faith, is that in our woorkes there is no righteousnesse which may answere for vsus before God, but wee are all to bee condemned. But nowe God hath so receiued vsus with this condition that hee forgiueth vsus all our sinnes; and that not onelyonly for a day, but for all the time of our life: not that wee shoulde sinne vnderunder colour that God wilbee mercifull vntounto vsus (let vsus take heede of that) but because we are frayle and weake, God will alwayes continue his goodnesse towardes vsus. And farther when wee doe any good, there is yet some euill euen in that good which wee doe. For wee neuer giuegive any almes with such perfectnes as were requisite, but God may alwayes finde some fault or other in it. It is with our workes as men vse to say of wine, that there is still some faulte or other in it. It is good wine will one say, but it hath taken winde, it is too sharpe, it is mustie, or there is I know not what in it; it is turned: and so the wine is nothing woorth. Euen so is it with our workes, there is alwayes some spotte or other in them: so that God shall hauehave iust cause to reiect them. Seeing it is so, wee had neede to be borne withall at his hande, as a chylde is borne withall by his father. And in verie deede hee hath made vsus such an expresse promise by his Prophet Malachie,Mal. 3.17. Psal. 103.13 That hee will spare vsus euen as a father spareth his chylde, who perceiuing his chylde to bee willing to doe that which hee commaundeth him, although hee doe not his worke so perfectly as were requisite hee shoulde, wil not deale rigorously with him, if so bee hee goe about it with a willing and cheerefull mynde. So then yee see why it is sayde that wee are iustified by faith.
But whereas it is sayde on the contrary side, that our workes shalbee reckoned vntounto vsus for righteousnesse; it is because God accepteth them. And why? Is it because they are worthie to bee accepted, or for that they hauehave any merite in them? No. But because of the couenaunt and agreement which hee hath made with vsus: that seeing wee are members of our Lorde Iesus Christ, hee beareth with vsus, hee pardoneth vsus our sinnes, and accepteth that which wee offer vntounto him: although it bee woorth nothing, yet is it ynough that hee accepteth of it. According vntounto this reason, it is saide in this place, that the almesdeedes which wee doe for Gods sake, shalbee accepted at his hande for righteousnesse. And this letteth not but that wee bee iustified alonelie by faith: for when righteousnesse is referred vntounto his fountaine, from whence proceedeth it? From the free merciemercy of God in that hee forgiueth vsus our sinnes. Nowe, sith it is grounded vppon that; wee must not imagine that there is any contradiction in these places. And therefore let vsus briefely note, that when our Lorde sayth, that the almes which wee bestowe shalbee reckoned to vsus for righteousnesse; it is to encourage vsus the more, to the intent wee shoulde not feare that eyther our payne or our money is lost, when wee hauehave relieued the necessitie of the poore. And when wee hauehave this lesson, we will not come and laye the foundation of our saluation vppon our woorkes: but wee will alwayes buylde the assurance of our saluation on the onelyonly merciemercy of God, and vppon the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ; by whose sacrifice wee are reconciled, and through whose obedience all our sinnes and iniquities are done awaye. This (saye I) is the meanes to assure vsus of our saluation. And thus when wee hauehave settled our trust and confidence in the onelyonly merciemercy and goodnesse of God, wee will hauehave no mynde to stande vppon our woorkes: but it will suffice vsus that beeing accepted by the free mercy of God without any merite or deseruable worthinesse of our workes, hee will giuegive vsus will, strength, and power to serue him, to serue him I say, not after our owne fantasie, but accordingly as hee commaundeth vsus.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to take them away, and therewithall so to refourme vsus by his holy spirite, as our whole indeuour may bee to please him, and to obey his holy will, as hee hath declared it vntounto vsus in his lawe. And because we cannot come vntounto such perfection as were requisite wee shoulde; pray wee him to reache vsus out his hande alwayes to supplye our wantes, and to strengthen our infirmities, vntil hee hath cleane ridde vsus of them. And so let vsus saye, Almightie God & heauenly father, &c.